Preventive Dentistry

Home Preventive Techniques• Systemic fluoride:

fluoride that is taken orally, in the water supply, drops, or in vitamins.

• Ingestion(taking into gastrointestinal tract): taking a substance into the gastrointestinal tract.

Home Preventive Techniques• Topical fluoride:

fluoride that is placed on the tooth surfaces, such as liquids, gels, and paste.

Miscellaneous Prevention Aids• Dental personnel also may

recommend the use of additional home prevention aids to eliminate decay and gingival problems:

• rinse: anti-plaque mouth rinses containing therapeutic chemicals may reduce the amount of a thin covering on the teeth called plaque.

Miscellaneous Prevention Aids• disclosing dyes:

red/blue food coloring or a sodium fluoresceinsolution that is placed on tooth surfaces to disclose or stain the plaque.

Miscellaneous Prevention Aids• powered toothbrushes:

electric or battery-driven devices used to clean the teeth; may have single or double heads, with or without self-contained dentifrices.

Miscellaneous Prevention Aids• dentifrice: toothpaste used to clean teeth

and prevent halitosis that is, bad breath

• floss holders/threaders: devices used to hold or insert floss under bridge work and between teeth;

Miscellaneous Prevention Aids

• interdental brushes: handles that hold small brush tips to be inserted between the teeth.

Miscellaneous Prevention Aids

• interdental brushes: handles that hold small brush tips to be inserted between the teeth.

Miscellaneous Prevention Aids

• wooden picks/flat balsam wedges: used to stimulate interproximal gingival tissue circulation.

Miscellaneous Prevention Aids

Miscellaneous Prevention Aids• water irrigation

machines: electric water spray devices with pulsating tips to power rinse interproximal areas and bridgework gaps.

Diet Plans • Meals and snacks with fewer cariogenic ( caries

=decay, genic=produce) or caries-forming properties may be suggested, along with instructions on how to balance the diet.

Dental Facility Preventive Practices• fluoride application: professional application

of fluoride in the form of liquid, gel, foam, or varnish to tooth surfaces. The fluoride is placed on cleaned tooth surfaces, timed, and removed. After 30 minutes or more, the fluoride is rinsed off.

Dental Facility Preventive Practices• fluoride application

Dental Facility Preventive PracticesFluoride varnish application

Dental Facility Preventive PracticesFluoride foam application

• sealant application: placement of gel or liquidacrylic material on clean and prepared (acid-etched)occlusal surfaces of teeth to cover and protect toothsurfaces, it may require ultraviolet light to becomehard.

Dental Facility Preventive Practices

• selective adjustment: deep occlusal pits orfissures eliminated by selective abrasive orgrinding of some enamel surfaces, therebylessening the chances of deep carious lesions.This procedure is also called enamoplasty.

Dental Facility Preventive Practices